Beefing topsails



JAMES W. NORCROSS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

REEFING TOPSAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,977, dated August 11, 135'?.

To all whom it may concern. l

Be it known that I, J AMES W. Norcross, of Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Reeflng Topsails; and I do'hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a front view of a topmast, its lower yard, topsail yard, and topsail in a reefed state, the same being furnished or rigged with my improved reeling gear. Fig. 2 is a rear or aft view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the whole, showing the positions of the different parts, when the topsail is elevated to its greatest altitude and the sail not reefed.

That feature of my invention which distinguishes it from every other kind of topsail reefmg apparatus consists in an arrangement of reef tackles by which they are connected to the topsail yard after being led from the reef band of the sail up to and through blocks placed at or just below the cross trees whereby the topsail yard when lowered down to the reef band is caused, so connecting the reef tackles to the topsail yard after leading such tackles from the reef band up to and through blocks placed at or justy below the cross-trees, as to cause the topsail yard when lowered down to the reef band to support through the reef tackles, all that part of the topsail which is below the reef band.

With my invention I reef at the head or upper part of the sail, and I do not suspend the sail by reef band suspension lines carried down to or near to the deck, and there belayed or made fast, in which case, the topsail yard in no respect operates to lift the sail, but I connect or fasten the ends of the reef tackles to the middle of the yard when the sail is reefed, and after such tackles have been led upward through and downward from the blocks at the crosstrees.

In the drawings, A denotes the topmast, B, the lower yard; C, the topsail yard; D,

the topsail; E, the cross-trees, and a, the

reef band of the sail. To this reef band and to the leeches of the sail, reef tackles Z), Zi, b,

, their equivalents applied to the topsail yard.

From thence the reef tackles are extended upward and through blocks 0l, d, d, suspended to the cross-trees or to that part 0f the topmast which is just below them. From thence each reef tackle is led down toward and fastened to an eye o arranged on the middle of the topsail yard.

The halyard f, is fastened to the eye e, extends upward and through a sheave hole in the upper part of the topmast, and thence descends to the deck in the usual way. In order to aid in supporting the topsail yard, when the sail is reefed, ropes r, 1^, may be employed, they being made to eX- tend from the topmast down to the yard as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The process of reefing the sail is effected by lowering the topsail yard down to or near to the reef band, all that part of the sail which is below the reef band being supported by the weight of the yard operating through the reef tackles as they hang from the blocks at the cross-trees. In order to unreef the sail, the halyard is to be pulled on so as to raise the topsail yard up to its highest position. Thus it will be seen that the whole matter of reefing and unreefing may be effected by simply lowering or raising the topsail yard as occasion may require. The advantages of this Inode of reefying over most others, well known to mariners and in common use might easily be set forth, but as they will be apparent to such persons or to others skilled in rigging and working ships or other vessels, I have not deemed it necessary to enumerate them.

I do not claim carrying the reef tackles from the reef band upward through blocks placed at or under the cross-trees, and from thence down to the deck whereby all that part of the sail which is below the reef band is suspended or drawn tightly up, while the yard is being lowered down to, or toward the reef band, nor do I claim reducing sails by means of an arrangement of reef tackles wherein each reef tackle is fastened at one end of it to the topsail yard, is thence led down through a leading block fastened to vthe reef band of the sail; thence carried upward to and through the yard and around a sheave placed therein, and thence carried toward the mast and through a leading Iblock afliXed to the topsail yard', near to the middle thereof; thence upward from the said leading block to and through a leading block affixed to the cross tree; thence down- 'ward and through blocks suspended to the cross trees or that part ofthe topmast just I below them and thence leading the reef tackles downward and fastening them to the topsail yard at or near its middle, sub- 15 stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 12th day of J une A. D. 1857.

J. W. NORCROSS.

'Witnessesz S. A. WILDING, J oHN SHAW. 

